Episode 18 | PWHL Playoffs and Expansion, WNBA Season 30 Tips Off, Derby History, NWSL Schedule Debate

Episode 22 | Caitlin Clark's Defense Is a Liability, PWHL Expansion Begins, Triple Espresso Is Back

After a 16-point blowout loss to the Portland Fire, the rest of the WNBA is circling something on the whiteboard: Caitlin Clark's defensive game is a weakness teams are now actively targeting. Alex and Caitlin break down the Fever's recent skid — a viral bench huddle moment, Clark skipping a postgame press conference after the Golden State loss, and Portland's suffocating defensive game plan that turned an 8-2 Fever lead into a 17-2 Portland run. The bigger concern isn't any single game. It's the pattern: teams are ISo-ing whoever Clark is guarding, she's getting blown by or into foul trouble, and the team's offensive firepower can't always bail them out. On the flip side, the Minnesota Lynx are sitting at the top of the WNBA standings, Olivia Miles is already a rookie of the year frontrunner, and Natasha Howard is playing some of the best basketball of her career. This week we cover: * Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark: The defense problem is real. Gino Auriemma said it years ago, Portland just proved it, and the question is whether Clark can fix it before it costs the Fever a playoff run. Plus: what Becky Hammon's fiery postgame presser after the Aces-Wings game tells us about the WNBA's officiating inconsistency this season. * PWHL expansion draft begins: The PWHL released its first-ever salary transparency data. 66% of the league earns under $60K, with Emily Clark of Ottawa the highest paid at $127,000. Now free agency has opened and the four new expansion teams (San Jose, Hamilton, Detroit, Vegas) are starting to build rosters. Alex and Caitlin walk through phases one and two of the expansion process and why Kendall Coyne Schofield could end up playing for her home-state team. * PWHL awards and coaching: Two goalies — Anne-Renée Desbiens and Erin Frankel — are both in the running for Billie Jean King MVP alongside Kelly Pannek, a first in league history. Also: only three of twelve PWHL head coaches are women, and Caitlin is not letting that slide. * Triple Espresso reunites: Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman, and Sophia Wilson are all back on the USWNT roster for the Brazil friendlies. Their first time together since the 2024 Olympic gold medal match. With the 2027 Women's World Cup qualification window approaching, Emma Hayes has made it clear: there's no time to waste. * NWSL June break breakdown: Utah Royals are unbeaten in 10 games, San Diego Wave look like the most complete team in the league, and the break might be the one thing that can stop Utah's momentum. Also: the Chicago Stars fired GM Richard Fuez after a 0-9-3 start and a minus-19 goal differential. Plus: Alexia Putellas leaves Barcelona after 14 seasons and 232 goals, Bunny Shaw becomes the highest-paid women's footballer at $2.3M per year after signing a new deal with Man City, Serena Williams is returning to doubles, and Holly Rowe live-streamed the College Softball World Series after ESPN cut the feed. Dense week. Follow Raising the Game for weekly women's sports coverage.Instagram/Threads/YouTube: @rtg_podWebsite: rtgpod.comSubstack: substack.com/@raisingthegamepodcastEmail: raisingthegamepod@gmail.com [raisingthegamepod@gmail.com]

Episode 21 | Caitlin Clark's Back Is a Red Flag, Montreal Wins the Walter Cup, Utah Stays Unbeaten

Caitlin Clark missed a game this week with a reported back injury, and the Fever's "strategic management" framing — announced less than two hours before tip — raised more questions than it answered. We dig into what it means for her, for the league, and for fans who bought tickets expecting to see her play. Also this week: Montreal Victoire made PWHL history, becoming the first Canadian team to win the Walter Cup. They closed out Ottawa in four games, with Ann-Renée Desbiens posting a shutout, Abby Roque scoring twice in the clincher (including one that deserves a replay or five), and Marie-Philip Poulin finally adding the one award missing from her trophy cabinet: Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP. The Ottawa Charge crowd showed out all series long, with over 53,000 fans through the doors of Canadian Tire Center and a record finals crowd of nearly 17,000. This week we dig into: * Caitlin Clark injury and WNBA load management: the timeline, the Fever's communication, whether this is a one-off or something more persistent, and what it means for fans and the league * PWHL Walter Cup recap: Victoire over the Charge in four, Abby Roque's two-goal performance, Ann-Renée Desbiens' shutout, MPP's long-overdue playoff MVP, and a tribute to the Ottawa fanbase that showed up even down 4-0 in the clincher * PWHL expansion and coaching shake-up: all four expansion teams have their GMs, five of twelve head coaching jobs are now open, and Troy Ryan moves to San Jose as both GM and head coach * WNBA ups and downs: Kelsey Plum drops 38 on 70%+ shooting against her former Aces, Natasha Howard is quietly one of the best stories of the early season for the Lynx, Azzi Fudd breaks the rookie record for threes in a quarter, and Rickea Jackson's ACL tear is confirmed as season-ending for Chicago * NWSL week 9: Utah Royals extend their unbeaten run to nine games, Mal Swanson scores her first goal back from parental leave to lift Chicago off the basement, and Washington Spirit and Gotham FC both fall to Liga MX Femenil sides in the CONCACAF W Championship Follow Raising the Game for weekly women's sports coverage. Instagram/Threads/YouTube: @rtg_podWebsite: rtgpod.comSubstack: substack.com/@raisingthegamepodcastEmail: raisingthegamepod@gmail.com [raisingthegamepod@gmail.com]

Episode 20 | Walter Cup Game 3, WNBA Opens Hot/Officiating Overhaul, NWSL Week 8

The Ottawa Charge pulled off a stunning late comeback to stay alive in the Walter Cup Finals, and the WNBA's new foul-calling emphasis is already reshaping games just days into the season. Episode 20 has a lot going on. Caitlin and Alex recorded this one right after Game 3 wrapped, so the energy is real. They walk through Ottawa's dramatic third-period rally against the Montreal Victoire, break down PWHL's wave of expansion announcements, dig into WNBA opening weekend numbers (spoiler: the league is doing great), and then get into the officiating overhaul that has players, coaches, and fans still figuring out what basketball is supposed to look like now. NWSL Week 8 rounds things out with Mallory Swanson back on the pitch and a couple of league storylines that deserve more attention. This week they cover: * PWHL Walter Cup Finals: Ottawa staves off elimination in Game 3 on a dramatic final-minute goal, with goaltenders Gwyneth Philips and Ann-Renée Desbiens putting on a clinic. Series tied, Game 4 on the way. Plus a breakdown of what a Canadian champion means for the league and Carla McLeod's steady hand coaching Ottawa through adversity. * PWHL Expansion: Las Vegas and Hamilton officially join Detroit for the 2026-27 season, with San Jose expected to follow. A staggering 236 players from 15 countries applied to the entry draft, making the "can we fill these rosters?" question pretty easy to answer. * WNBA opening weekend: Sellouts across the league, 2.5 million viewers for the Fever-Wings opener (second most-watched regular season game in ESPN history), A'ja Wilson drops 45 points, and the Connecticut Sun officially relocating to Houston as the Comets. * WNBA officiating overhaul: The off-season task force, the freedom-of-movement emphasis, the foul rate spike that has 12 of 15 teams averaging 20-plus fouls per game, and the real question of how long the adjustment period lasts before it settles into something that feels like basketball again. * NWSL Week 8: Mallory Swanson returns from maternity leave for the Chicago Stars, Gotham FC in talks to move from New Jersey into Queens, and the Rodman Rule already getting amended before it even takes effect. Also in the mix: Elina Svitolina wins her 20th career title at the Italian Open over Coco Gauff, Sam Kerr confirms her Chelsea departure after 115 goals and five WSL titles, and an NCAA softball super regional field heavy with SEC teams. Follow Raising the Game for weekly women's sports coverage. Instagram/Threads/YouTube: @rtg_podWebsite: rtgpod.comSubstack: substack.com/@raisingthegamepodcastEmail: raisingthegamepod@gmail.com [raisingthegamepod@gmail.com]

Episode 19 | PWHL Playoffs Chaos, Detroit Expansion, WNBA Season 30 Opens, NWSL Week 7

The PWHL playoffs have been an absolute mess in the best possible way, and the path to the Walter Cup Final is still wide open heading into a postponed Game 5. Ottawa pulled off one of the bigger upsets in PWHL postseason history, eliminating the Boston Fleet in four games despite being outshot 142 to 94 for the series. Meanwhile, the Minnesota-Montreal semifinal has been everything: a triple-overtime thriller, back-to-back games that raised serious player safety concerns, a suspension, and now a Game 5 postponed due to illness running through the Victoire. And on top of all that, the PWHL officially announced Detroit as its ninth team, with Las Vegas, Hamilton, and San Jose reportedly next in line. This week on Raising the Game: - PWHL playoffs recap: Ottawa's gritty run to the Walter Cup Final, Gwyneth Phillips standing on her head, and why the low seed has won every single PWHL semifinal so far - Minnesota-Montreal series breakdown: scheduling injustice, discipline moments with Laura Stacey and a Frost forward suspension, and what a postponed Game 5 means for both teams - PWHL expansion draft: We go team-by-team with our mock protected player picks, plus the NHL venue complications that knocked Washington and Denver out of contention - WNBA Season 30 opener: Olivia Miles posts a historic debut (21 points, 8 assists) for the Lynx, the Aces get blown out by 30 on ring night, Azzi Fudd starts quietly in Dallas, and the GM survey crowns Paige Bueckers as the player GMs would build a franchise around - NWSL Week 7: Temwa Chawinga's hat trick (first in Kansas City Current history) sparks a table surge, Utah's shutout streak hits six consecutive games and 465-plus minutes, and we ask whether Barbara Banda can carry Orlando alone We also hit the Portland Fire's 19,000-plus WNBA home opener record, Kwanzaa Jones' historic Padres ownership bid, Marie-Louise Eta making Bundesliga history as the first woman to win a match managing a men's top-five European league team, LOVB's 113% viewership jump in year two, Rachel Entriken's outright win at a 250-plus mile ultra marathon, and Women's Elite Rugby on this weekend's watch list. Follow Raising the Game for weekly women's sports coverage. Instagram/Threads/YouTube: @rtg_pod Website: rtgpod.com Substack: substack.com/@raisingthegamepodcast Email: raisingthegamepod@gmail.com

Episode 18 | PWHL Playoffs and Expansion, WNBA Season 30 Tips Off, Derby History, NWSL Schedule Debate

The PWHL playoffs are delivering drama on both sides of the bracket, the WNBA's 30th season is officially here, and women's sports infrastructure is growing faster than ever, a lot to unpack this week. Ottawa stole a road win in Boston to even their series 1-1, then headed to a sold-out Canadian Tire Center with a freshly repainted PWHL logo under the ice. Minnesota took game one against top-seeded Montreal and we saw the first playoff hat trick in PWHL history from Montreal's Laura Stacey. And the league quietly dropped a detailed five-phase expansion plan with no official teams yet, but a Detroit press conference looming. This week we get into: * PWHL playoffs and expansion: Ottawa's road win, the Boston-Ottawa series outlook, Minnesota's gritty game one, and a full breakdown of the league's five-phase roster-building plan designed to protect player choice while giving expansion teams a real shot at competing from day one * WNBA 30th season: the new 15-team structure (hello Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire), the $2.2 billion broadcast deal, Sportico's valuation report with Golden State Valkyries topping the list at $850M and average franchise values up 59%, and what to watch as newly reshuffled rosters find their footing * NWSL calendar debate: the WSL announces it will keep its spring-to-fall schedule until 2030. Caitlin makes the case for why the NWSL should not follow suit, and why the league is not in the same position as MLS was when it made that shift * Cherie DeVaux becomes the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner, guiding Golden Tempo from the worst post position in the field all the way through the outside to a historic win in the 152nd running of the race * Nelly Korda goes back-to-back, winning the Riviera Maya Open a week after the Chevron Championship to reach 18 career LPGA victories and land four points from Hall of Fame induction We also cover Hailey Baptiste's comeback win over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at the Madrid Open, Olivia Moultrie's 100th NWSL cap with a goal and assist, Brighton's plans for the first purpose-built women's stadium in England, Lyon reaching the UWCL final, the MNBA's long-overdue SNL cameo, and expansion city predictions. Follow Raising the Game for weekly women's sports coverage.Instagram/Threads/YouTube: @rtg_podWebsite: www.rtgpod.com [https://rtgpod.com]Substack: substack.com/@raisingthegamepodcast [substack.com/@raisingthegamepodcast]Email: raisingthegamepod@gmail.com [raisingthegamepod@gmail.com]